UNBC is celebrating the appointment of a new Canada Research Chair (CRC) and the renewal of two CRCs.

Dr. Sarah de Leeuw, associate professor in Geography and the Northern Medical Program, has been named as the new Canada Research Chair in Humanities and Health Inequities.

Dr. Sarah Gray, associate professor in the Northern Medical Program, has been reappointed as CRC of Integrative Physiology of Diabetes, and Dr. Brian Menounos, professor in Geography, will continue his work as CRC in Glacier Change.

Photo Credit: UNBCLeft to right: Sarah de Leeuw, Sarah Gray, Brian Memounos

“The outstanding talents that our Canada Research Chairs bring to UNBC not only enhance our research community but also strengthen our ability to develop leading-edge solutions to issues experienced in the North, across Canada and around the world,” says UNBC President Dr. Daniel Weeks.

“In addition, the CRC program also enables Chairs to help develop the next generation of research leaders through expanded training and mentoring opportunities, an initiative to which these three individuals are deeply committed. I commend them for this outstanding professional achievement.”

Dr. de Leeuw, plans to investigate how the arts and humanities can help address health inequities and encourage medical professionals to go into different geographies of practice such as rural areas.

Dr. Gray was first appointed as a CRC in 2012 and will continue her work exploring the link between obesity and diabetes.

To continue his ongoing research on climate change and glaciers, Dr. Menounos will use his second term to focus on the development of useful tools for research in the field.

All three researchers were appointed as Tier 2 CRCs and awarded $500,000 in funding for over five years.